Pause; Rediscover Stillness with Gautam Vaishnav, the Pune Techie Who Turns Rocks Into Meditative Sculptures Without Glue or Tricks!
Pause; Rediscover Stillness with Gautam Vaishnav, the Pune Techie Who Turns Rocks Into Meditative Sculptures Without Glue or Tricks!
From IT professional to gravity artist, Vaishnav’s delicate stone balances are helping people rediscover stillness in a fast-paced world
In an era of relentless screens and overstimulation, Gautam Vaishnav, a 32-year-old techie from Pune, is quietly encouraging people to slow down, by balancing rocks.
Armed with nothing more than gravity and a deep sense of focus, Vaishnav has carved out a niche as one of India’s most dedicated rock balancers. What appears at first glance like a magic trick is, in truth, the result of patience, meditation, and complete physical presence. His gravity-defying stone stacks, assembled without glue, magnets, or any supports, have become a familiar and awe-inspiring sight along riverbanks, parks, and hillocks in and around Pune.
Originally trained as a computer engineer, Vaishnav’s journey began when he watched a friend, Chintan Vaishnav, balance a brick. Challenged to try the same, he spent 45 minutes battling frustration before finally managing it. “When I balanced it, I felt like a butterfly,” he says. That moment of inner calm sparked a transformation, one that turned a simple act into a life practice.
“Rock balancing is more than art, it’s a lesson in letting go,” Vaishnav says. “You put your energy into something that might fall any second. And you’re okay with that. It mirrors life.”
No tricks—just touch, gravity, and breath
Vaishnav explains that each rock is balanced on a tiny contact point, often a natural ridge or curve without artificial aids. “The only glue we use is gravity,” he smiles.
His talent has gone beyond personal exploration. He now teaches rock balancing to students, professionals, and even the visually impaired. One of his most moving experiences, he shares, was conducting a session with blind students. “I had to shut my own eyes, feel the rocks, and explain shape, weight, and balance through words and touch. It completely changed how I experience this art.”
Helping others disconnect—from stress to screens
The calming effect of rock balancing, Vaishnav says, is often unconscious. “People overthink, live in their heads, and are addicted to scrolling. But here, they become still—without even realizing they’re meditating.”
For school children, he uses friendly challenges to spark curiosity. “If you tell them, ‘You can’t even balance a rock?’ their ego kicks in. They try harder. That’s how you get them off their phones.”
With corporate professionals, the emphasis shifts. “They spend their days in boxes. So I bring them outdoors, give them real rocks, and suddenly, they’re present. They’re touching something alive.”
Global roots, ancient echoes
While rock balancing is gaining popularity worldwide as a performance art and therapy tool, Vaishnav believes its roots go back to prehistoric times, when humans first interacted with the elements through stacking and shaping.
He also experiments with unconventional objects bricks, motorcycles, glasses, and flowerpots—to create what he calls “unbelievable moments.”
Yet the essence of his art remains deeply personal. “Each sculpture is temporary. You put your soul into it—and then you walk away. That’s balance. That’s life.”
As he continues to inspire audiences across Maharashtra, Gautam Vaishnav reminds us that sometimes, the way to real strength is through stillness and that even a stone can teach us how to pause.
